Football
Associated Press 19y

Palmeiro joins elite 3,000-500 club

BALTIMORE -- No left-handed batter in the history of
baseball has showed the consistency and power of Baltimore Orioles
first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, whose entry into the elite 3,000-500
club is a testament to a stellar career that should gain him
first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame.

When Palmeiro got his 3,000th hit off Seattle's Joel Pineiro on
Friday night, he joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as
the only players in baseball history with at least 3,000 hits and
500 home runs.

"With numbers like that, maybe I belong in their group,"
Palmeiro said recently, "but not their class. I know I'm not
there."

Perhaps. But unlike the others, Palmeiro isn't done yet. He is
also the only one in the quartet to swing exclusively from the left
side of the plate.

There's no way to accurately determine the greatest left-handed
hitter in baseball history, but an argument can be made for
Palmeiro, who now has 346 more hits than Ted Williams, nearly 450
more home runs than Ty Cobb and 127 more hits than Babe Ruth.

Some may scoff at the notion of placing Palmeiro among the
game's premier hitters, mainly because he has attained those lofty
numbers with very little fanfare. But his peers have the utmost
respect for his work ethic -- and his prowess at the plate.

"Consistency. That's the only way you accomplish numbers like
that," New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "You have to
be very consistent for a long time, and that's what he's done."

As he neared the 3,000 mark, Palmeiro squirmed when doing
interviews about the significance of the event. He doesn't like to
talk much, especially when the subject is himself.

"I haven't really thought about it," he said. "The day will
come, and then we'll move on."

Murray couldn't have put it any better.

"Eddie and Raffy were similar in that they were very quiet and
extremely productive," former Oriole Cal Ripken said. "They are
two of the best hitters of all time, and I was honored to call them
both teammates."

By the time he's done, the 40-year-old Palmeiro will rank in the
top 10 in many key offensive categories, including homers,
extra-base hits and total bases. He is ninth on the career home run
list, and his 3,000th hit tied him with Roberto Clemente for 25th
in that category.

Palmeiro isn't merely staggering to the finish of a great
career. He's been hitting cleanup in a formidable Baltimore lineup,
and ranks among the team leaders in home runs and RBIss.

"When you look at his numbers, maybe they're not eye-popping
like they were at one time," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "But
he's far from hanging on. He's got such a simple stroke; there's
not a lot of moving parts."

For Palmeiro, this season has been special for reasons that have
nothing to do with his quest to join the exclusive 3,000-500
fraternity. His two boys, Patrick, 15, and Preston, 10, have become
fixtures in the Baltimore clubhouse when the Orioles are home.

Before games, Palmeiro often hits each of them grounders or
plays catch in front of the Baltimore dugout.

"Other than playing on the field during games, the best
experience to me is when I can bring my kids and they can be a part
of this," Palmeiro said. "This is not going to last forever. I
may be done here in the next few years and I want them to be a part
of this. Being around grown men, big league professional players,
it rubs off on them in terms of maturity."

Being around Palmeiro has been beneficial to his teammates, too.

"In terms of home runs and RBIss, he's done it more consistently
than anybody else in baseball," Orioles outfielder B.J. Surhoff
said. "I think the biggest thing that stands out to me is his
durability and the number of games he's been able to play every
single year. That really says a lot."

Ripken was known as the Iron Man, but there's something to be
said for Palmeiro's endurance over a 20-year career. Except for the
strike-shortened 1994 season, he's played in at least 143 games
every year since 1987.

About the only thing he hasn't done is participate in a World
Series, but Palmeiro hasn't given up hope. Thanks in part to his
standout play this year, the Orioles have become contenders after a
run of seven straight losing seasons.

A week ago, someone asked him if he would trade his membership
in the 3,000-500 club for a World Series ring.

"I don't have either one of them, so I don't know which feels
better," Palmeiro replied. "Maybe I'll have both after this
year."

One down, one to go.

^ Back to Top ^